NZ Life & Leisure

Discover a region where the sunshine hours are unrivalled and the beaches are shared with sunbathing seals.

Amid teenage comic hopefuls sweating backstage at a comedy club, 52-year-old Sacha Jones sat reading a Charles Dickens’ novel. “People said, ‘Aren’t you nervous?’ and I told them, ‘I’m old!’”

You can also try this dish out with gurnard or blue cod (although, these will take a little longer to cook than terakihi).

Cauliflower never had it so good. This is a fabulous starter for an evening meal or serve in espresso cups or shot glasses as an amuse-bouche.

By rejuvenating an ancient tipple, Oren Dalton hopes to breathe new life into our regions.

Whales and wild waters, sugared beaches and dramatic landscapes, kangaroos and convict chronicles are all wrapped into the story of this isolated coastal stretch made accessible when explored by small ship.

A sweet no-bake made with coconut yoghurt and raw cashews.

Want skin that looks film-star fab and forever wrinkle-free? Develop a more trusting relationship with needles say the experts.

Reserve this decadent potato mash for special occasions.

Two American environmentalists have turned a run-down campground in Glenorchy into a sustainable development where technology and nature work together.

An earthy salad to warm up any winter gathering.

Wholesome ingredients and happy memories of childhood holidays on the Coromandel form the DNA of  coconut yoghurt and cereal business Cathedral Cove Naturals.

There are few places one can land a plane on a lake, creep through treetop canopies, dangle feet in geothermal waters and explore the pockmarked landscape left by an enormous explosion.

A Wellington entrepreneur who created chainmail worn by Frodo and others in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy is making sturdy armour for buildings.

If your dog often barks and jumps at strangers, pulls on the lead,  or whines when you leave for work these could be symptoms of a relationship problem. Selina McIntyre, a former lion-cub carer turned dog-behavioural expert explains why.

In a world where robots rule, superheroes surprise us and gorgeous frocks rock, costume designer Kate Hawley has found her forever home. Occasionally, she returns to Wellington where she’s surrounded by treasures magpied on her travels.

Popular TV builder John Cocks is a keen diver who refuses to simply go with flow: although his body is ailing, his maverick spirit prevails – so there’s no cause for the undersea critters around Tairua to rest easy just yet.

Lisa Scott gets her skates and her badass attitude on at the roller-derby rink.

These cos leaves make a delicious, healthy nibble. Use the best of fresh seasonal pears to really bring out the flavour.

These NZ entrepreneurs may have invented their way to an economically viable future for the New Zealand wool industry. Their products aren't what you'd expect.

This classic flavour combination is always a party favourite.

When you occupy a world in which fantasy and reality converge, where life-size and miniature models co-exist, you need an artful attitude – and a kickass outfit or two.

The president of Canine Friends Pet Therapy is used to people looking straight past her or peeking over her shoulder, but Ann Evans is happy to step aside and let her furry stars shine.

A long ride on a spine-cracking rickshaw and ten days of excruciating, immobile silence lead to a place of slow-and-surprising recognition.

These Wellington boat sheds – some of them important local landmarks – mean many things to many people.

Give classic potato wedges a gourmet twist with Ruth Pretty's turmeric, almond and fenugreek aromatic salt blend.

A cruise passenger speed-dates destinations along the south-east Asian coast, and hopes to meet some of them again.

Once on the international stage for environmental causes, Georgina Langdale returned home to set up a back-to-nature business that makes a difference, one purposeful potion at a time.

When you learn the best childhood lessons in a garage, and spend the ensuing decades tinkering with troublesome classics, you’re a bona fide car devotee

Annika Streefland’s dreams of being a botanist stalled when a formidable headmistress gave her a lecture on the value of independence. How thankful she is now.

The powerhouse behind House of Dumplings shares her recipe for this Wellington Night Markets favourite.

Vision, grit and a good shot of gumption propelled the World of WearableArt from a small-town show to a global spectacle.

There are secrets to discover in the Cook Islands by following the road less traveled.

Why serve plain old cheese and crackers when you can dish up these simple cheese shortbreads topped with cauliflower mousse?  Place a tablespoon of cauliflower mousse in the centre of each shortbread and garnish with tomato.